Ignition-switch



v. A. F YNN.

mmnow. swncu. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26. IBIS- Patented J an. 27, 1920.

H Fig.1. M

ATTORNEY UNITED sra rns PATENT OFFICE.

VALERIE A. EYNN, OF ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO \VAGNER ELECTRIC MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI, A CORPORATION-OF MISSOURI.

IGNITION-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Application filed June 26, 1918. Serial No. 241,995.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. YALinn: A. FYXX. a subject of the King of England. residing at the city of St. Louis. State of Missouri. Ynited States of America. have invented a certain new and useful Ignition-Switch. of

which the following is such a full. clear. and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings. forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a switch for controlling the ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine. and is more particularly adapted to be used in connection with a battery system.

The object of the invention is to cause the ignition switch to be automatically opened as soon as the engine speed has fallen be low the lowest operating speed. or when the engine has come to rest with the ignition circuitclosed. and thus avoid-useless discharge of the battery and possible damage to the spark coil.

In carrying my invention into practice. I

provide means for holding the ignition switch in its closed position and place these means under the control of a device which responds to a constant unidirectional current or to a current which is infrequently interrupted or reversed. but does not respond to a current which goes through many cycles per second. In the preferred form of my invention. I make use of an electromagnet located in cooperative relation to the means which hold the ignition switch in its closed position. energize said magnet by means of the ignition current itself and locate a shortcircuited winding in inductive relation to the energizing winding of said magnet for the purpose of rendering the latter inoperative at all but Very'low ignition currentperiodicities.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates one embodiment of my invention and Fig. 2 illustrates a modification.

Referring'to Fig. 1, which shows abattery ignition system. the primary ignition cir cuit comprises the storage battery 3. the low tension winding of the ignition coil 2. the timer or circuit breaker 4. the. spring con trolled ignition switch and the energizing coil 11 of the electromagnet 9. This electromagnet is also provided with a shortcircuited winding 10 located in inductive relation to the energizing coil 11 and placed in cooperative relation to the spring T held in theclainp 8. provided with an armature cooperating with the electromagnet J and adapted to hold the switch 5 in its closed position by engaging the nose (3 thereof. This switch is provided-with a handle. is pivoted at 12. and when closed as shown in the figure it completes the low tension ignition circuit at the point 1 The. ignition switch can be opened by hand by pushing the catch integral with the spring 7 out of engagement with the nose (3 of thcswitch. in which case. the spring controlling said switch will take control and bring 5 against the stop 1 The high tension side of the ignition coil is grounded at one end and connected to a distributer at the other.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 2 differs from the foregoing. in thatthe spring con trolled ignition switch 5 is held in its closer. position by the electromagnet 15. The energizing coil 16 of this, magnet is connected to one pole of the battery 3. through the normally closed automatic switch 17 and the normally closed hand operated switch 20. The other end of the coil 16 can be connected to the other pole 'of the battery by means of the contact .14 and the ignition switch 5. connection being made only when the ignition switch is closed. The switch 17 is held closed by means of a spring clamped at 18. which spring carries an armature adapted to cooperate with the electromagnet- 9 energized by the coil 11. included in the low tension side of the ignition circuit. and carrying the shortcircuited winding 10 placed in inductive relation to the coil 11.

Referring to the operation of the arrange-- ment shown in Fig. 1, when it is desired to start the internal combustion engine. the

- ignition switch 5 is closed by hand If the then the electromagnet 9 will attract the spring 7 and release the switch 5, and it 'will therefore be necessary for the operator to hold the ignition switch in its closed position until the engine has started. lsven When the engine revolves at the lowest speed at which it will operate, the current interruptions in the primary ignition c rcu t are so frequent that the shortcirc'uited COIl or winding 10, in inductive relation with 11. is sufficiently efiective to reduce the magnetization produced by the energizing coil 11 to such an extent as to'make it impossible for the electromagnet 9 to overcome the spring 7 and release the switch 5. The factthat the magnitude of the primary ignition current is very rapidly reduced as the speed ofthe engine increases further decreases the magnetization which it is possible for the coil 11 to produce and thus make it doubly certain that the switch 5 will not be opened at any-working speed of the engine. Should the engine speed now fall below its lowest operating speed, then the engine will come to rest more or less rapidly, and as it does so, it will reduce the frequency of the current interruptions in the primary ignition circuit, with the result that the impedance of said circuit will rapidl v diminish. causing the ignition current to rise very quickly. The diminished frequency of the interruptions will reduce the damping etiiciency ot' the shortcircuited winding 10, and this together with the increased ignition currentwill enable the electromagnet 9 to overpower the spring 7 and open switch 5 even before the engine comes to; rest. Should it, however, fail to do so, then the spring 7 will undoubtedly be overpowered by the electroniagnet?) when the engine does come to rest with the timer closed.

The operation of Fig. 2 only differs from that of Fig. 1 in that the electromagnet 9 operates'to denergize the electromagnet 15 which holds the ignition switch 5 closed instead of overpowering the spring T which holds said switch in its closed position. The electromagnet 15 1s deenergized in F 1g. 2

when the electromagnet- 0 opens the nor; mally closed spring controlled switch 17.

Should it at any time be desired tostop the internal combustion engine provided with the ignition system shown in" F '2. then it isonly necessary to temporarily open the switch :20, thus deenergizing the electromagnet 15 and releasing the ignition switch 5. As soon as switch 20 is released, its spring will carry it back into closed position.

Itis seen that the device which controls then the spring the ignition switch. releasing Lllllt when the current in the ignition circuit ceases to be interrupted, is so constituted that although in circuit with the low tension side of the spark coil. yet it does not adversely aiiect the operation of same. This result is secured by the short circuited winding 10 in inductive relation with the energizing winding 11 of the electromagnet 9 in control of the opening of the automatic ignition switch. Any material inductance in circuit with the primary of the spark coil would slow down the rise of current in said coil and thus reduce the efliciency of the latter. As

long as the current in the primary coil is' pulsating, the reactance of the electromagnet 9 is made very small indeed by the presence of the short circuited winding 10 and in this way the operation of the coil is not adversely aifected. The same short circuited winding prevents the automatic ignition switch from being aitected to open the ignition circuit as longas the ignition current is pulsating.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a primary ignition circuit comprising a source of direct current E. M. F a timer and an ignition switch, of means for causing said switch to open, and means responsive to pulsating current in the ignition circuit for rendering the said first named means inoperative.

2. In apparatus of the class described. the combination with a primary ignition circuit comprising a source of direct current E. M. F., a timer and an ignition switch, of means responsive to continuous current for causing said switch to open. and means responsive to pulsating current in the ignition circuit for rendering the said first named means inoperative.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a primary ignition circuit comprising a source of direct current E. M. F., a. timer and an ignition switch, of means for holding said switch in closed position, and an electromagnet for releasing the'holding means, said magnet comprising a 'coil in the ignition circuit and a second coilin inductive relation to the first named coil.

i. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with aprimary ignition circuit comprising a source'of direct current M. F., a timer and an ignition switch,'of5means for holding said switch in closed position and an elect-romagnet for releasing the holding means, said magnet comprising a coil in the ignition circuit and a short circuited coil in inductive relation to the first named coil.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a primary ignition circuit comprising a source of direct current E. M.

F a timer and an ignition switch, of mecombination with an ignition switch of elecchanical means tending to open said switch, tromagnetic means for controlling said 10 a latch for holding the switch in closed posiswitch, said means comprising a coil in the tion, and an electromagnet for releasing the ignition circuit and a short circuited coil in i latch saidmagnet comprising a coil in the inductive relation to the first named coil.

ignition circuit and a second coil in induc- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 'two relation to the first named coil. my hand and afiixed my seal.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the VALERE A. FYNN. [11. s.] 

